Apparatus for combustion of fluid fuel with oxygen



Dec. 21, 1954 ,J. BLIZARD 5 2 APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTION OF FLUID FUEL WITH OXYGEN Filed May 5, 1948 COMPRESSED OXYE/V INVENTOR ATTORNEY e 75H BL/ZARO. BY W9- United States Patent APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTION OF FLUID FUEL WITH OXYGEN John Blizard, Garden City, N. Y., assignor to Foster Wheeler Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 5, 1948, Serial No. 25,212

4 Claims. (Cl. 1584) This invention relates to the combustion of fluid fuel and more particularly to the burning of hydrocarbon oil in the presence of oxygen.

The present invention provides an apparatus for the burning of hydrocarbon oil in the presence of oxygen wherein the feeding of oil to the burners of a combustion chamber is controlled in response to the flow of gases of combustion resulting from the burning of an oil-oxygen mixture in an auxiliary combustion chamber and the oil fed to said burners is burned in the presence of oxygen after ignition by the gases from the auxiliary combusiton chamber.

In accordance with the present invention oxygen and oil under pressure are introduced into a pressure-tight auxiliary combustion chamber. The amount of oil introduced into said auxiliary combustion chamber being sufiicient to heat the oxygen, upon combustion of the oxygen-oil mixture, to a high degree, for example to substantially within the range of 1000 F. to 1500 F. The gases of combustion from the auxiliary combustion chamber are passed through a turbine in which the temperature and pressure of the gases are reduced, said gases thereafter flowing into a main combustion chamber wherein they ignite oil injected into the main combustion chamber through burners. The pump for pumping oil into the burners is actuated by said turbine. When starting the apparatus of the present invention, oxygen under pressure passes from the auxiliary combustion chamber through the turbine and actuates the oil pump thereby pumping oil to the auxiliary combustion chamber. After the oxygen-oil mixture in the auxiliary combustion chamber is ignited, the gases of combustion pass through the turbine and operate the same thereby actuating the pump. Upon passage of combustion gases from the turbine to the main combustion chamber, oil is permited to enter said main chamber, oil being pumped thereto and to the auxiliary combustion chamber during normal operation in response to the flow of combustion gases from the auxiliary chamber to the main combustion chamber.

The invention will be understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof and in which:

The single figure is a more or less diagrammatic view partly in section and partly in elevation of the apparatus of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, oxygen under pressure in a container flows through valved outlet 11 into a line 12 thence through said line into nozzle 13 of a fuel injector or burner 14 to which one end of the line 12 is con nected. The injector or burner 14 is associated with a pressure-tight auxiliary combustion chamber 15 and receives oil from conduit 16 which oil together with oxygen is injected into said auxiliary combustion chamber. The oil-gas mixture entering chamber 15 through injector or burner 14 is, as shown, ignited by an electrical igniter 17. Gases of combustion from auxiliary combustion chamber 15 are passed to gas turbine 18 through flue gas conduit 19 which gas actuates said turbine so as to impart movement to drive shaft 20. Drive shaft 20 drives a pump 21 the suction inlet 22 of which is in communication with an oil feed pipe 23. Discharge outlet 24 of pump 21 communicates with feed conduit 25.

As shown in the drawing, feed conduit 25 is in communication with burners 26, 27, and 28 of a steam generator 29 through branch lines 38, 39 and 40 respectively. Lines 38, 39 and 40 are respectively controlled by valves 2 41, 42 and 43. Steam generator 29 comprises a setting 30 having a combustion chamber 31 therein. 'lhe side walls, root, and hopper bottom or steam generator 29 are lined by tubes 31 which, as shown, are a part or the circulatory system or steam generator 2: and communicate Wltll an upper steam and water drum 32. burners A0 and 20 receive oxygen rrom containers :3 which containers have valved outlets 34 in communication with a line so through conduits so. The line a: is connected to burner 20 while a branch line 31 is in communication at one end thereof with ime 3a and at the opposite end with burner 26. Gases II'OlIl turbine 16 now through gas conduit 16 to burner 21 and are in ected into combustion chamber 31.

U1]. entering 111JCIOI 14 through line 10 is passed into said line from conduit 2: at a point on the discharge side or pump 21.

in operation, when starting the apparatus of the present invention, oxy en under hi h pressure rrom container 111 hows LBIOUgll line 14 1111.0 ILIJUULUI 14 mereaiter to enter auxiliary COlllDLlSllOIl chamber 1:, pass therethrough and enter conduit 19. rrom conduit 1?, the oxy en hows through turbine 18 operating said turbine L'O iheieoy actuate on pump 21. At this point in the operation or the apparatus, vaives 41, 4.. and as 111 branch lines so, 39 and 40 respectively are closed so that on will not enter main combustion chamber .11. When the pump 21 is actuated by turbine 16 by the how or oxygen theremrough, oil is pumped rrom line 23 into line 23 thence into line 16. rrom line in, oil enters llljfiCllOI 14, the oxygen-oil mixture Lherearter passing rrom lHjCCLOI 14 into auxiliary combustion chamber 1: wnerem said mixture is ignited by igniter 11 and is burned. 'lhe amount or on introduced 11110 auxuiary combustion chamber 1: is controlled by a valve in line 10 and is suincient to heat the oxygen, upon combustion of said mixture, to a temperature Wltfllll substantially the range or iuuu 1*. to moo 1*. 'lhese gases then pass through hue 19 into gas turbine 18 so as to actuate said turbine and rotate OIlVe-SlJaH. 20 which sets pump 21 into operation. 'lhe temperature and pressure or the gases are lowered in nowing through turbine 18 to a temperature, ror example, or you 1*. and to a pressure, 101 example, of (mu fF/Sq. inch. 'lhe gases at substantially said temperature and pressure then how through line 16' to burner 21 associated with steam generator 29. Upon how of gases into combustion chamber 31 rrom burner 21, valves 41, 42 and 43 are opened so that oil may now through branch lines 36, 39 and 40.

Operation or pump 21 by the passage of gases through turbine 16 causes on to be pumped from line 23 into line 25 and thence into burners 40, Al, and 26 through branch lines 35, '39 and 40 respectively. Oxygen under pressure for burner 26 is supplied from containers .53 through lines 36 and 35 and to burner 25 through lines 36, s5 and 37 respectively.

The heated gas flowing through conduit 18 into combustion chamber 31 through burner 27, which gas comprises oxygen with a smaller amount of carbon dioxide and vapor, ignites oil admitted to combustion chamber 31 through burners 27, 26, and 28. it will be noted that oil is supplied to burners 26, 27, and 28, which fires combustion chamber 31 and steam generator 29, by action of pump 21. Oil, therefore, will not be supplied to the burners of combustion chamber 31 unless gas turbine 18 is operated by the how or gases from the auxiliary combustion chamber 15 through turbine 18 into line 18.

In the embodiment of the invention shown wherein oil for the auxiliary combustion chamber 15 is supplied thereto by pump 21 through line 16, when starting it would be necessary to drive turbine 18 initially by oxygen until sulficient combustion gases were generated to operate said turbine. It will be understood that oil may be supplied to auxiliary combustion chamber 15 from a source independent of pump 21 if so desired.

Inasmuch as changes may be made in the form, location and relative arrangement of the several parts of said apparatus without departing from the essential characteristics of the invention, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited excepting by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for-the combustion of fluid fuel with oxygen which comprises means forming a pressure-tight auxiliary combustion chamber, a source of oxygen constantl-y under pressure incommunication with said chamber, said chamber including fiuid inlet means adapted to communicate with 'a source of fluid fuel, a .gas turbine, gas conducting means in communication'with the gas turbine-and the-auxiliary combustionchamber, means forming a main combustion chamber, means for introducing fuel into the 'main combustion chamber, means for conducting oxygen into the main cornbustion'chamber, other gas-conduit-means iii-communication with said turbine and with the main combustionchamber so as to receive gases from the turbine andconductlthem to the main chamber, and a pump-actuated by said turbine, the pump being in communication with the means for introducing fuel into the :main combustion chamber and adapted to communicate with -a source of -fiuid fuel so as to pump said fuel into the main combustion chamber.

2. Apparatus for the combustion -of hydrocarbon oil with oxygen which comprises means forming a pressuretight auxiliary-combustionchamber, a'container of'oxygen' constantly under pressure and incommunication With-said chamber, said chamber including fluid inlet means adapted to communicate with a hydrocarbon oil fuel source, igniting means so associated with the chamberas to ignite a hydrocarbon oil-oxygen mixture therein, a gas turbine, gasconducting means incommunicat-ion with'the gas turbine and theiaux-iliary combustion chamber, means forming a main combustion chamber, means for introducing hydrocarbon oil into the main combustion chamber, means for conducting oxygen into the main combustion chamber, other gasconduit-means in communication with said turbine and with the main combustion chamber so as .to receive gases of combustion from the turbine and conduct them to the main chamber, and a pump actuated by said turbine, the pump being in communication with the means for introducing hydrocarbon oil into the main combustion chamberand adapted tocommunicate with a source of fluid fuel so as to pump said fuel into the main combustion chamber.

3. Apparatus for the combustion of hydrocarbon oil with oxygen whichcomprises means forming a pressure tight auxiliary combustion chamber, an injector including fiuidinlet means-adapted tocommunicate with ahydrocarbonoil .tue'l source, a container-of oxygen constantly under pressure :in communication 'with the injectonsaid injector being so associated with the auxiliarycombustion chamber asto .injectsaid oxygen and hydrocarbonoil fuel into the chamber, igniting means-so associated with .the chamber as to ignite ahydrocarbon oil-oxygen-mixture therein, a gas turbine, gas .con g means in communication with the gas turbine .and the auxiliary combustion chamber, .means forming a main combustion chamber, a plurality of other injectors, fuel conduit means in communication with each of saidplurality ofother injectors, combustion gas conduit means in communication with at least one of said other injectors and with said turbine so as'to receive gases of combustion from the turbine and conduct them to the main chamber, means for conducting oxygen to the injectors other than said at least one injector, said other injectors being so associated with the main combustion chamber as to inject fuel and gas thereinto, and a pump actuated by said turbine, the pump being in communication with the fuel conduit means and adapted to communicate with a source of hydrocarbon fuel so as to pump said fuel into the main combustion chamber.

4. Apparatus for the combustion of hydrocarbon oil with oxygen which comprises means forming a pressuretight auxiliary combustion chamber, an injector, a container of oxygen constantly under pressuree in communication with the injector, said injector being so associated with the auxiliary combustion chamber as to inject said oxygen and hydrocarbon oil fuel into the chamber, a hydrocarbon oil fuel line in communication with the injector, igniting means so associated with the chamber as to ignite a hydrocarbon oil-oxygen mixture therein, a gas turbine, gas conducting means in communication with the gas turbine and the auxiliary combustion chamber, means forming a main combustion chamber, a plurality of other injectors, fuel conduit means in communication with each of said plurality of other injectors, flow control means in said fuel conduit means for controlling the 'fiow of fuel to said other injectors, gas conduit means in communication with one of said other injectors and with said turbine so as to receive gases from the turbine and conduct them to the one injector, means for conducting oxygen to the injectors other than said one injector, said other injectors being so associated with the main combustion chamber as to inject fuel and gas thereinto, and a pump actuated by said turbine, the pump having an outlet in communication with said fuel conduit means and having fluid inlet means adapted to communicate with a source of hydrocarbon fuel so as to pump said 'fuel from said source into the main combustion chamber, the pump outlet also being in communication with said hydrocarbon oil fuel line so that fuel is pumped to said auxiliary combustion chamber.

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